The Sixers will be hoping to avoid a hat-trick of losses, while the Thunder will expect a better outing from their bowlers as the two lock horns at the Sydney Showground Stadium in match 7 of the Big Bash League 2025/26.
Here, we present our preview and predictions for Match 7 between the Thunder and the Sixers.
Flamboyant opener Sam Konstas hasn’t looked in great shape for quite a while now. Ever since making his international debut, his numbers, even in T20s, have been quite disappointing. His opening partner in the Thunder’s lineup, Matthew Gilkes, looks rather promising, though.
The 26-year-old left-hander got off to a great start in the last game – scoring 20 off 7 – however that brief stay highlighted the kind of impact he could have on a game if he sticks around longer. That being said, Cameron Bancroft still remains the lynchpin at number 3 for the Sydney Thunder.
Their batting goes very deep with Shadab Khan, Daniel Sams, and skipper Chris Green coming in the lower order at numbers 6 through 8. Green may not be a big-hitter, but the likes of Khan and Sams are reliable finishers – as evident from their exploits in the last game with Shadab scoring 34 off 24 and Sams remaining unbeaten on 23 off 11 deliveries only.
In the bowling attack, Nathan McAndrew and Daniel Sams will lead the pace attack along with Reece Topley. However, the key wicket-taker for the Thunder will be Tanveer Sangha, the right-arm legbreak bowler who’s consistently found wickets for the team in previous seasons.
That said, Shadab Khan has been a key player at the international level for Pakistan, and the 27-year-old was instrumental in pulling things back in the last game, getting both Ben McDermott and Rehan Ahmed.
As for their counterparts, the Sixers will be concerned with star batter Babar Azam’s returns from his first outings in the Big Bash League. Before the tournament began, in 13 T20Is in Australia, Babar had scored 286 runs, averaging around 24 at a strike rate of 115. However, with scores of 2(5) and 9(10) in the BBL, the numbers don’t paint a good picture for the former Pakistani captain.
Babar’s opening partner, Daniel Hughes, hasn’t looked in good shape either. With both openers struggling to get going, the Sydney Sixers have a real challenge at their hands.
Josh Philippe and Moises Henriques will hold the key to a good total in the middle order. However, the latter has struggled to hit the middle of the bat thus far.
Similarly, Jack Edwards and Jordan Silk will play crucial roles lower down the order. They are reliable players who can score quickly and help the Sixers finish on a high in the death overs. Edwards – in particular – looked impressive with the bat after scoring an unbeaten 46 off 21 balls in the opening match batting at number 6.
Moreover, Edwards will also play a key role in the bowling attack, led by the likes of Ben Dwarshuis and Hayden Kerr. New signing, 23-year-old right-arm legbreak bowler from England, Jafer Chohan will be one to watch out for for the Sixers.
Looking at the venue for some insight, the pitch has traditionally offered plenty of help to the bowlers. The average first innings score in the last 10 T20 matches played here is 147 runs. Thus, anything over 165 can be a match-winning total.
Looking at this match-up, Sydney Sixers have some real batting issues to deal with – with most of their batters failing to find form. However, it doesn’t require a long time for batters to get back in form – especially in a format like T20 cricket. Nevertheless, when compared with Thunder’s overall squad strength, the Sixers fall behind.
As a result, with their record at this venue, in addition to their recent performance and the batting depth, we are backing Sydney Thunder to go into this match with an edge over the Sydney Sixers.
Fantasy XI: Matthew Gilkes, Cameron Bancroft, Josh Philippe, Moises Henriques, Shadab Khan (vc), Daniel Sams, Jack Edwards (c), Chris Green, Jafer Chohan, Tanveer Sangha, Ben Dwarshuis
Venue: Sydney Showground Stadium, Sydney
Winners Prediction: Sydney Thunder
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